TheCable

Abdulwaheed Musa, a lecturer at Kwara State University (KWASU), has been awarded a national research fund (NRF) grant to develop artificial intelligence (AI) language models tailored to the linguistic characteristics of major Nigerian languages.

Musa, who is head of the department of electrical and computer engineering at KWASU, recently announced the feat in a post via X.

“My team and I have been awarded a National Research Fund (NRF) Grant to develop advanced machine (deep) learning models and algorithms for Natural Language Processing (NLP) tailored to the linguistic characteristics of major Nigerian languages,” Musa wrote.

“In the next two years, I’ll be working with an amazing team across Nigeria (and beyond) to train my mentees and students, especially those in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and selected Nigerian languages.”

Natural language processing (NLP) is a branch of AI that enables computers to comprehend, generate, and manipulate human language.

In a chat with TheCable, Musa said the project, which has the potential to make a significant impact on the field of machine translation and contribute to the development of AI technologies in Nigeria, will deliver “a well-developed AI translator”.

The lecturer also said he and his team will start with developing learning models and algorithms for the three major languages in Nigeria — Yoruba, Hausa, and Igbo.

“The outcomes of the research project are expected to enhance language accessibility and inclusivity in Nigeria, as well as foster cultural preservation and socio-economic development,” he said.

“The project will advance the field of natural language processing and machine translation, leading to more sophisticated AI language models with broader applications beyond translation.”

Musa, who is also the director of the Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Systems (CAMS), said he hopes that the research sparks the development of language-related startups and enterprises, creating job opportunities and fostering entrepreneurship in language technology.